Like other industries, the health care industry directs most of its campaign contributions to the members of Congress best positioned to influence relevant policies and regulations. More than half the total contributions from health care companies since 1989 have gone to the members who sit on at least one of the five committees in the House or Senate that are currently working on producing health care reform legislation.

The health care industry has given $313.8 million in campaign contributions to current members of Congress since 1989. Of that, $166.7 million or 53 percent has gone to the members of the House and Senate who currently sit on at least one of the five committee with jurisdiction over health care reform, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

“I doubt anyone is surprised to hear that the health care industry, or any other industry for that matter, donates most of its money to the members who sit on the relevant committees,” said Common Cause President Bob Edgar. “Let’s just step back and ask ourselves why this is: because these companies believe they are getting something in return for their money.”

As the Senate Finance Committee prepares to vote soon on health care reform, the health care industry additionally continues to spend $1.4 million a day lobbying Congress. This toxic cocktail of spending on lobbying and campaign contributions serves to further drown out the voice of the public in this critical debate.

Common Cause sigue trabajando para aprobar la Ley de Elecciones Justas Ahora (HR 1826 / S.752) como la solución integral a la cultura de pago por juego en Washington, DC, que crearía un sistema electoral financiado por los ciudadanos para el Congreso en el que los candidatos podrían postularse para el cargo con una combinación de pequeñas donaciones y fondos públicos.

“Our campaign financing system is fundamentally flawed,” said Edgar. “All of the men and women in Congress who are working to reform our health care system, especially those with the most influence in the process, depend on the continued support of health care companies. This is an obvious problem.”

Other recent Common Cause reports on health care reform:

Health care industry continues to spend big as debate enters critical stage

As the health care reform debate enters a critical phase in Congress, the health care industry continues to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into lobbying and ad campaigns on top of millions in campaign contributions.

Drug Companies Lobby for More Protection from Competition

Since 2007, PhRMA, the Biotechnology Industry Organization and major pharmaceutical companies spent nearly $240 million lobbying Congress, with about $30 million of that spent in the first three months of 2009 alone, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Legislar bajo la influencia

Mientras el debate sobre la reforma del sistema de salud se calienta en el Congreso, un nuevo informe de Common Cause concluye que los principales intereses de la atención médica están gastando más de $1.4 millones por día para presionar al Capitolio en lo que va del año, y que esos mismos intereses de la atención médica han incrementado significativamente las contribuciones de campaña, donando alrededor de $373 millones a los miembros del Congreso desde 2000.

Percentage of Campaign Contributions from Health Care Industry

to Committees with Jurisdiction over Health Care Reform – 1989-2009

Health Insurance

Pharmaceutical

Health Pros

Hospitals

Nursing Homes

Totales

All House

$22,858,060

$32,613,787

$104,941,972

$17,533,083

$6,195,847

$184,142,749

Education and Labor

1,421,936

1,936,831

8,939,872

1,113,892

280,726

13,693,257

Energy and Commerce

4,652,466

10,292,948

25,278,515

3,250,481

1,609,676

45,084,086

Ways and Means

6,193,229

5,507,935

16,421,499

3,530,732

1,521,334

33,174,729

House Committees

12,267,631

17,737,714

50,639,886

7,895,105

3,411,736

91,952,072

All Senate

17,679,344

25,839,828

66,946,524

13,781,506

5,373,210

129,620,412

Finanzas

5,415,009

6,824,010

18,888,586

4,718,666

1,743,795

37,590,066

Finance and HELP

827,437

2,439,638

1,911,097

444,598

247,608

5,870,378

HELP

3,445,287

6,303,304

17,359,743

2,943,489

1,221,236

31,273,059

Senate Committees

9,687,733

15,566,952

38,159,426

8,106,753

3,212,639

74,733,503

Percentage of

Contribuciones a

Health Committees

Health Insurance

Pharmaceutical

Health Pros

Hospitals

Nursing Homes

Totales

Casa

54%

54%

48%

45%

55%

50%

Senado

55%

60%

57%

59%

60%

58%

Fuente: Centro de Políticas Responsables (www.opensecrets.org)

Includes contributions from individuals and PACs to lawmakers’ campaign committees and leadership PACs.

Health Insurance totals are a combination of contributions from health and accident insurers, HMOs and other health services

###